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The Chicago Blackhawks had a difficult decision on their hands picking which defensive prospect would break training camp with the team, but a trade helped clear a path for at least one young defenseman.—
The Hawks late Friday dealtRiley Stillman to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Jason Dickinson and a second-round pick in the 2024 draft.
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While Stillman’s departure frees up a spot in the three-way battle among Alex Vlasic, Filip Roos and Alec Regula, the veteran Dickinson’s arrival could mean one forward is headed to Rockford.
The swap also gives the Hawks two picks in each of the first three rounds over the next two drafts — stuffing the cupboard for general manager Kyle Davidson’s rebuild.
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But before those picks are added to the pipeline, the Hawks have to cultivate the current crop.
As Hawks prepare to make four cuts to meet Monday’s 23-man deadline, here’s a breakdown of some of the top prospects who have been reassigned since the first practice of camp Sept. 22.
Released: Friday; playing for the Kelowna Rockets.
Camp: A concussion he suffered during the prospect showcase against the Minnesota Wild delayed his camp, but Dach made an impression in his short window, registering five shots, three hits and a takeaway against the Minnesota Wild and drawing a roughing penalty against Matt Dumba.
“I loved his game,” Luke Richardson said. “He played physical, shot pucks … was tracking hard, he had a really solid game. It was a really good view of him for the first time, and now he can go back and hopefully have a crack at the World Juniors and have a strong season.”
Released: Wednesday; playing for the Rockford IceHogs.
Camp: It’s not a good sign that the 2018 first-round pick never seemed to be in the mix for one of the three pairings. Beaudin told the Tribune early in camp: “I have to show what I can do. I have to skate, I have to pass, I have to play hard defensively..”
Luke Richardson said Beaudin showed signs of playing more compact and not too risky for the sake of offense: ”It’s not forcing the issue and then scrambling back.”
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But Beaudin appeared in only one preseason game, a 3-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, and he registered three giveaways.
Since the offseason, Beaudin worked on “moving my feet even more when I have the puck, getting stronger so I can win more battles one-on-one defensively.”

Released: Wednesday; playing for the IceHogs.
Camp: It’s the second go-round for Sikura, who previously played for the Hawks sporadically between the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons.
Sikura said it was a “no-brainer” to return and that he matured while splitting time between the minors and pros for the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche.
“(I’m) more of a 200-foot player,” he said. “Put on probably 15, 20 pounds since I last (saw) you guys, a little more corner weight. Hopefully I can find that scoring touch I was missing here.”
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Sikura scored the opening goal in the Hawks’ lone preseason win, a 4-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Sept. 28.

Released: Tuesday; playing for the IceHogs.
Camp: Reichel said he felt he was ready — and at moments the smooth skater looked —the part — but added he he would trust the team’s decision. He scored in the Hawks’ 4-2 preseason win against the Wings.
Luke Richardson saw signs that Reichel still needs to master the nuances of a top-six role.
“He put a lot of work in this summer, and his game’s improving, but for an NHL elite skills guy, it’s just not quite there yet,” Richardson said.
And Reichel would be miscast as a bottom-six grinder.
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“He’s not suited, especially at this point in his career and body-wise and everything, to be an energy, third- or fourth-line guy,” Richardson said. “I don’t think he’s developed enough yet as a centerman to keep around because we need help in the center circle. He needs to work on that as well.”
Released: Tuesday; playing for the IceHogs.
Camp: Guttman was a standout in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and made some noise in main camp. He had the Hawks’ only goal in the first preseason game, a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
“Great training camp, great rookie camp for his first pro camp out of college,” Richardson said. “That was the message to him —/ your first taste of pro hockey and (you) showed really well at different levels.
“Just go down and get some games in and get accustomed to the pro life.”
Released: Tuesday; playing for the IceHogs.
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Camp: Phillips said his mission was just to build on the feedback from coaches.
“Just play my game, don’t overcomplicate,” he told the Tribune. “Move the pucks, be firm, play hard D first … and if there’s a chance to join the rush, then you can.”
Richardson gushed about Phillips throughout camp.
“He’s got lots of talent, really good athleticism, but defense is a tough position to play, so he’s raw still there,” he said. “Going down and playing as a shut-down D, No. 1-pairing D in the American league will do him well, and he’ll probably get some games here at some point.”

Released: Monday; playing for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Camp: The way Korchinski glides up and down the ice with such deceptive speed bodes well for the seventh pick in this year’s draft.
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“He’s shown really well as an 18-year-old,” Jonathan Toews said. “He’s not too far away from being an elite defenseman in the NHL. I mean he’s got that potential.”
Korchinski had his rookie moments, such as when the Wild’s Ryan Hartman pinned him against the boards on a loose puck that ended up in the Hawks’ net.
But then there were other moments, like when he made a nice stretch pass on Reichel’s preseason goal against the Red Wings.
Richardson recalled another: “The one play that (Patrick) Kane made to him in the second period (of the preseason opener), that’s his game. We’re defending in our zone, and about 3½ seconds later he’s at the other crease, making a play at a net.
“That was a good sign to show that he’s got the confidence to do it at this level.”
Released: Monday; playing for the Gatineau Olympiques.
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Camp: Savoie became an instant fan favorite, drawing admittedly premature comparisons to Andrew Shaw.
“It’s a compliment but I don’t compare myself to Andrew Shaw yet,” he told the Tribune. “He’s awesome. He played a lot of years in the NHL, lot of points, Stanley Cups. It’s unfair for me to compare myself to him.”
But IceHogs coach Anders Sorensen said he saw shades of Shaw’s physical style in Savoie, and Richardson later said, “He’s not afraid to mix it up.”
Savoie also saw ice time on the power play and penalty kill during the preseason.
Released: Monday; playing for the Kingston Frontenacs.
Camp: A concussion robbed him Ludwinski of a chance to get the maximum benefit out of camp, which is too bad, Richardson said, because he was “fun to watch” during the prospect showcase.
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Ludwinski was still with the Hawks as of Friday because he hadn’t yet cleared the concussion protocol.

Released: Oct. 1; playing for the IceHogs.
Camp: Davidson said Allan stood out during the prospect showcase.
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Allan said he focused on the skills it requires to be a two-way defenseman — picking up pucks off the boards, for example — as well as his skating.
“Whether it’s glide mechanics or on your edges or whatever, there’s always something you can work on,” Allan said.
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Released: Oct. 1; playing for the Mississauga Steelheads.
Camp: Competition didn’t get in the way of camaraderie for Del Mastro.
“When you have a younger defense like Kevin (Korchinski), Nolan (Allan) and a lot of young D-prospects, it’s awesome,” he said. ”You’re around their age, you’re allowed to be friends with them and bond and bolster what your knowledge is.”
He added that Richardson, a former defenseman, had been a great teacher.
“Just use my size,” the 6-foot-4 del Mastro said Richardson emphasized to him. ”I’m obviously a bigger defender and I’ve been using my size to my advantage. … Use my body to manipulate plays.”





